Stakes high for INDIA bloc in Jharkhand

The parties of the INDIA bloc have a high-stake battle at hand in Jharkhand where election to the 81-member Assembly will be held on November 13 and 20. The challenge for the partners, i.e., Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Communist Party of India (Marxist- Leninist) has become tougher as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stitched a formidable alliance by taking into its fold All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal-United (JDU) and the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janashakti Party (LJP). Last time the AJSU was not an ally of the National Democratic Alliance.

The fronts are tied in a neck-to-neck battle in the tribal-dominated state where the JMM-led front has though successfully completed a 5-year term but had two chief ministers as JMM chief Hemant Soren had to quit the top post to spend five months in prison after being charged in a corruption case. While Soren is projecting his victimhood and is out to project it as anti-tribal stance of the central dispensation, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to woo as many tribal leaders into its ranks as possible. The JMM is fielding its candidates from 43 of the 81 seats and has allotted 30 to its close ally the Indian National Congress, six to the Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD and three to the CPI(M-L). However, fights are overlapping as RJD and Congress are face to face in at least two constituencies and JMM and the CPI(M-L) are tied in a ‘friendly contest’ in one constituency.

The NDA’s splintered vote enabled the JMM-Congress-RJD combine to gain an easy win in 2019 election with the front emerging victorious in 48 of the 81 seats. With antiincumbency dogging the Hemant Soren government, the BJP has upped the ante on ‘Bangladeshi ghuspaithiya (infiltrators)’ issue thereby attempting to trigger phobia among the local tribal population getting swamped by outsiders. The tribals constitute 26.2 per cent population and 28 seats are reserved under ST category while another 9 are reserved for the scheduled castes. The INDIA block’s focus on the issue owes itself to BJP failing to win any of five tribaldominated Lok Sabha seats in April-May General Election. The two sides are also engaged in a tough battle to garner women’s votes. During Hemant Soren’s absence, his wife Kalpana Soren managed the JMM’s Lok Sabha campaign and emerged as a new focal point.

The BJP has been able to woo Geeta and Sita Marmu Soren. Geeta is wife of former CM Madhu Koda while Sita is daughter-in-law of JMM founder Shibu Soren and wife of late Durga Soren. The BJP is also likely to benefit from presence of Champai Soren in its rank who defected from the JMM after he was made to resign from the post of CM which he held during Hemant’s tenure in jail. Hemant’s party hopes to harvest women’s vote on the strength of Maiyya Samman Yojana which has enabled women in the 18-50 age group to avail of monthly doles of Rs. 1,000. Waiving off power dues to the consumers to the tune of Rs. 4,500 crore too may entice voters to Hemant Soren-led front.